Avatar: Tales of the Thanatos
by AmpRunner
Summary: 17 year-old Ryuu Noelle is forced on a mission to find the Avatar as strife and corruption shakes the Earth Kingdom. But something else draws near, and it threatens the balance of the entire world. Set many years after Sozin's Comet. UPDATED: CHAPTER 3-1
1. A Good Day

**Author's Note: This takes place many years after Sozin's Comet, so….not really sure what else I should say here. Oh yeah, here's this thingy…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender in any shape or form.**

**There we go. Now then, on to the story! Please review, your comments are appreciated....even if they're mean, but I won't be happy. **

* * *

**Avatar: Tales of the Thanatos**

**Chapter 1**

**A Good Day**

There was something about the gentle breeze of Ba Sing Se that subdued Ryuu in a peaceful tranquility. The smooth feel that it made as it passed over his skin, the cool air which seemed to alleviate his worries as it swept swiftly past.

Not that Ryuu had many worries.

He yawned, stretching his legs the full length of the windowsill as his back rested against the hard but strangely comfortable stone. Hey, if you were lazy enough, anything could be comfortable.

He opened his relaxing eyes enough to glance the daylight of the beautiful scene before him.

For all the poverty and troubles of this place, the Lower Ring did have its charms. No where else could you see the true and bare living of humans working together. The lack of money brought a common unity, albeit for an unpleasant reason, but a unity none the less. People helped each other, and tried to make the best of what they had. In his opinion, it was better than all the luxuries the Upper Ring had to offer.

It was strange, but Ryuu wouldn't want to live anywhere else. And after seventeen years in the Lower Ring, it was the one place he could call home.

"Ryuu! Ryuu!"

Said boy's sigh of content was broken by the panicked call. Recognizing the voice instantly, he turned to stare down to the worried boy on the tattered street below.

"What's the yelling about Petey?"

The young destitute boy pointed down the street while keeping his frightened eyes on the older Ryuu.

"The soldiers are back! My grandpa is in trouble!"

Ryuu sighed, his eyes wandering over the roofs over of the Lower Ring in the direction where Petey was pointing. The soldiers came all the way from the Upper Ring of the city. There they were used as protection and security for the more prominent members of society. Here, where the more disposable citizens resided, they were usually used for one purpose.

"Tax collectors," muttered Ryuu.

After making sure his katana was securely strapped to his waist, he gave a quick push from the ledge and straight out into the cool day air.

Petey gasped but Ryuu grappled with a clothesline halfway down and slowed his descent enough for him to land securely on the stones of the street. He slowly straightened up, Petey looking on in admirable awe as the older boy smiled as his wonder.

"Come on; let's go show those soldiers what for!"

Petey grinned, holding up a clenched fist in child like determination.

* * *

"I told you, we don't have any money to tax!"

The old man was knocked carelessly aside by the stronger and more youthful soldier. The small crowd howled their disapproval as the Captain of the squad roared for silence, and after shattering a boulder above the crowd, he quickly received it.

"We want no more of your lies, old man," stated the Captain, flexing his Earth Kingdom standard armor in a vain attempt at intimidation.

The "old man" was already getting to his feet, bruised but still has stubborn as before. The crowd around the edge of the square yelled for him to get back, but the old man brushed their comments aside.

"I won't, you all! It's not right, and I won't standby and let it happen! We're just as important as all those fancy wig wearing nobles up there, and we shouldn't be treated any different!"

He turned back to the now irate looking Captain with a smirk of an insolent teen.

"You can't push us around, you dog smelling cowards."

The Captain roared once more and brought an armored hand up to strike at the defiant old man, who even though faced with this, kept his ground solid.

A rock collided with the forehead of the assailing Captain, causing him to stumble with a humorous "OOF". As he furiously searched for the fool that would dare throw something at him, a second stone struck him at nearly the same point with enough force to knock him off his stance.

The old man let out a bark of childish laughter as the other soldiers quickly helped the Captain to his feet.

"Who dares…?"

"Don't you arrogant idiots have something better to do than harass an old man?"

A few in the crowd parted to let Ryuu step into the square. Petey was already running straight for the old man, throwing his arms around his legs in a tight embrace and burying his face in the old man's pant leg.

"Grandpa, are you alright!"

His grandpa smiled and ruffled the top of Petey's hair affectionately before he looked up to give the same smile to Ryuu.

"Nice of you stop by boy, took your sweet time."

Ryuu gave an amused chuckle as his eyes trailed over towards him.

"Well, couldn't let you have all the fun old man."

The Earthbenders stepped forward, the Captain still in his infuriated mood. The soldiers bent into their Hung Gar formation.

"You've got some nerve boy!"

Ryuu gave the Captain a sideward glance of the utmost disgust. It was bad enough to attack the old man, but to act like nothing was wrong…that pissed him off.

"You've got some nerve. Attacking an old man for no reason but to show some muscle… and you call yourself soldiers."

The Captain's mouth twitched in an odd quirk.

"Every citizen of the Kingdom must contribute their taxes. We will not exclude someone simply because they attempt to conceal their true finances."

Ryuu let out an artificial laugh and watched the shocked faces of the soldiers with an expression of amusement and disbelief.

"Hiding their finances…are you serious? Sorry to disappoint you Captain, but what you see is what you get. And if every citizen has to pay taxes, why aren't the oh so special nobles in the Upper Ring contributing?"

The Captain was still too much in his shocked state of mind to respond.

"Oh right, they're the important members of society aren't they?" Ryuu mockingly spat.

A sudden dawning of realization came over the Captain's face, and he straightened himself up from his Earthbending stance.

"Wait…I recognize that idealistic outlook anywhere. You're Ryuu Noelle aren't you?"

The Captain held out his hand to one of his subordinates who was frantically searching a green leathered bag of assorted scrolls. He pulled out one in particular and passed it to the Captain.

"Let's see..." he started, unrolling the parchment in one quick motion.

"Ryuu Noelle; age 17; hair color brown; eye color blue; parents diseased; current resident of section 34 in the Lower Ring. Is wanted on numerous offenses including: 128 counts of robbery; 351 counts of resisting arrest; 278 counts of assault; 54 counts of kidnapping; 23 counts of trespassing in woman's hot springs…"

Ryuu let out a chuckle.

"443 counts of disturbing the peace in the Upper Ring, and 756 counts of merciless destruction of cabbage."

The Captain lowered the scroll and re-spun it into its compact form.

"This goes on for some time…"

Ryuu gave a small smirk and scratched his hair nonchalantly, taking interest in the slow moving clouds high above him. Man, how easy those things had life. They just hung there day and night, not a care in the world. No taxes, no worries, no idiot soldiers.

"That list seems to get longer every time I hear it," he finally replied.

"23 counts….hmm…I thought it was more than that."

The Captain retook his Hung Gar stance and his soldiers obediently followed in his example. Ryuu was torn from his day dreaming moment, and his hand went to his katana.

"Ryuu Noelle, you are hereby under arrest and shall be taken into custody for your listed grievances against the Earth Kingdom. Attempt to resist and we will be obligated to use force."

When the Captain finished his monotonous statement, Ryuu replied by unsheathing his sword from its place by his side. The old man took a step forward, his grandson doing the same.

"Now hold on there Ryuu, don't you do anything rash now!"

"Yeah, you don't want to get sent to jail again do you?!"

Ryuu gave the pair a questioning laugh and grin. The old man was always looking out for their neighborhood. He was the unofficial mayor so to speak, and Ryuu probably cost him a few years of his life for all the worrying he made him do.

"I think it's a little late for that, but thanks you guys. Don't worry, I can handle these clowns."

The Captain growled.

"So, I take it you intend to resist. Very well…men, attack!"

The group of Earthbenders stepped forward in a uniform formation, slamming their bear feet to the stone and knocking up identical chunks of rock. With a consonant yell they punched the makeshift ammunition towards their target.

Ryuu was ready. In one swift turn he exercised a mastered slice and cleaved cleanly through the projected stone.

He ran forward, the soldiers moving ahead of their Captain in response. Ryuu allowed himself a confident smile. The Earthbending battalions were so predictable, their formations simple and easily countered.

Grappling a mound of earth that had been shoved in his path, Ryuu landed crouched at the base of one his attackers. With the momentum of his feet the punch came with a definite crack as the Earthbender was hurled through the air and landed perfectly level in a nearby wagon.

The Earthbenders realized their mistake of close combat too late, as Yuri sword severed their attacks midair as each was eventually comically thrown, one on top of the other in the trembling wagon.

The Captain ignored the groans from his soldiers as he now faced the smirking Ryuu alone. With a yell worthy of the tiger he stampeded forward, and Ryuu sheathed his sword in a delighted fashion.

As the Captain drew close his momentum was too great to stop and he tripped right over Ryuu's outstretched leg. The soldiers in the wagon began yelling pleas of mercy as they watched their Captain fly through the air….straight for them.

They could only yell as their much larger superior landed directly atop them in the wooden wagon. The defeated group only groaned in painful soreness as the old man walked up snf gave the wagon a strong push.

"Please stop by again when you get the chance!"

The crowds stepped aside as the wagon rolled pass them and gained speed as it tipped down a sloping hill. The yells of the soldiers were heard as they became lower and lower, a loud crash finally silencing the group.

Ryuu gave a finishing sigh, and then the crowd was upon him. Hair was ruffled, his back was pat and countless words of praise were just as much as he could stand.

"Way to show those bleeding cowards, Ryuu."

The old man slapped him hard across the back, and caused Ryuu to cringe from the sing.

"Hey, watch that strength old man."

"Ryuu!"

Petey was leaping up and down in front of him, his hand up high. Ryuu met it with a laughing high five before the young boy finally stopped.

"Yeah Pe-"

The motionless, stone faced men now standing in a perfect circle around them caused Ryuu to drop his words. Each of the men wore an identically green and prestigious cloak, their faces shrouded by their bowed head and rounded metal helmets, and although Ryuu could see them because the men kept their hands concealed, gloves made of solid rock.

The crowd had not noticed the men appear, and now gasped in one terrified breath together. These men…there were never seen in the Lower Ring; when they were, only despair was brought with them. Ryuu pushed a defiant Petey away, his grandpa eventually tearing the yelling boy from him.

Dai Li.

One of the motionless guard spoke out to the now alone Ryuu.

"Lay down your sword."

Ryuu's confident smile that he held with the soldiers before was vacant. His amusement was absent, and his eyes narrowed in utmost concentration.

"Not like I have much of a choice."

He reached to his belt and pulled the sheathed blade in its entirety from his waist and held it at arms length to show the Dai Li.

"Lay down your sword," repeated the man.

Ryuu let his fingers slack and felt the firmness of the sheath leave his hand. The blade clattered with an utmost finality on the stone ground.

Only then did the Dai Li move. One behind Ryuu had secured the boy's hands with his rock gloves, and before he could even react, another set from in front slammed across his face.

He could barely hear the scream of horror from the crowd, the old man's defiant protests, and Petey's repeated yells of his name.

He saw nothing but blackness, and felt himself fall.

* * *

**So....again, you're reviews would be really nice.**


	2. Conviction

**Author's Note: Uh...Chapter 2! **

**Please review if you read!**

* * *

**Chapter 2 **

**Conviction**

Well, it had started off as a good day.

If Ryuu had been in any other position, he might have actually laughed. But at the moment it took all his might to keep from slipping consciousness once more.

He was walking…yes, that much he was certain. Unfortunately, there was little else he **was** certain of.

He tried to open his eyes, but the stinging pain kept him wincing and he decided it was best to leave them closed. The Dai Li were taking care of his direction anyway. He felt solid rock hands push him along if he went to slow, or roughly pull his arm if they turned.

From the weightlessness at his side, he unsurprisingly surmised that his sword had been taken. Not that there was really any point at resisting. A blind and disoriented teenager against two well trained Dai Li didn't take much thought to determine the outcome.

Upon being shoved yet another time, Ryuu tried again to take in his surroundings.

The brief look he managed gave him little before his eyes were forced shut by the stinging pain.

He was inside, and by the elegance of the hallway he guessed that it was somewhere out of the Lower Ring. Was he in the Upper Ring now? He could remember the walls beings dawned in a variety of sculpting and vibrant Earth Kingdom colors.

That meant it was no jail either…maybe a noble's home? But why would he be brought here of all places? He thought they would have thrown him in a cell the first chance they got.

"Where are we going?"

His voice was surprisingly stronger than he had thought it would be. By the aching sensation still across his face the sound of a dying child would have suited better.

"Silence."

Ryuu sighed in annoyance. He had expected as much.

He endured several more minutes of shoves and pulls by the Dai Li, before the agent in front halted abruptly and caused Ryuu's face to mash into his cloak. He was roughly pulled back as a heavy swinging noise met his ears, followed by the loud thump of a door slamming against stone.

"In."

He was knocked through the door and sat heavily on an uncomfortable chair which by the feel of it as made of some kind of prickled wood. A heat met Ryuu's skin and caused his already stinging face to burn in discomfort. His eyes cracked to glimpse the roaring blaze of emerald green flames.

"Ryuu Noelle?"

The voice from just ahead caused him to jump in his seat. He had been so preoccupied by the flames and the pain that he had not noticed the figure of a man behind the desk to which he was facing.

He forced himself another look, but the bright light of the flames and the stinging of his eyes gave him nothing but slim armored shoulders and perfectly ruffled black hair.

"Y-Yes," he managed to choke out.

"T-That's me. What's going on…where am I?"

The voice that answered was calm and cold to the note.

"Open your eyes."

Ryuu gritted his teeth. He was getting so frustrated with this man.

"I can't…the damn Dai Li made sure of that."

At once a large rock glove had gripped his forehead and dug into his skin from behind. Ryuu yelled and immediately tried to resist but found his wrists clamped securely to the armrests of the chair.

"What the hell?! Let me go!"

He felt the rock glove on his temple pull back and force his eyelids with it. He could see, yes, but not any better than before. The stinging brought tears to his eyes and blurred his vision.

"Did you commit this crime, Ryuu Noelle?"

Ryuu scoffed at the man's question and continued to resist the captive that was holding his head in place. The Dai Li must have realized what he was doing as he slammed his head unforgivingly on the back of the prickled chair.

"Did you commit this crime?" repeated the figure of the man.

Ryuu wanted to yell, he wanted to break the Dai Li holding him and although he didn't know him, he wanted to break the sitting man as well.

But rather risk yet another strike across his head, he answered the question through grinding teeth.

"Which…damn…crime?"

Through his watery gaze Ryuu could see the still outline of the sitting man remaining as motionless as the sculptures carved into the wall around them. The only sound was the occasional crackle of the green flames; the only movement Ryuu's occasional squirm to free himself of the restraining Dai Li.

"What crime?" finally repeated the man.

Again there was the silence. Ryuu would often enjoy silence while watching the stars late at night in the Lower Ring. But this quiet was different. It was the silence before a battle, the mounting of an attack.

The silence of death.

"Why…"

His voice was so cold, Ryuu could not stand it. So smug…so heartless.

"The assassination of the Earth King."

* * *

It had taken Ryuu almost half a minute of the eerie silence before he finally wrapped his mind around the words. This was no simple charge of evading arrest. What he was being accused of was…impossible!

"T-The Earth King is…dead?"

It was barely a whisper from his lips. The strength he had surprised himself with before was now non-existent.

"W-What?"

"Did you, or did you not, kill the Earth King?"

The man remained as still as ever; his voice lacking no remorse, no sorrow for the news he was giving.

"That's insane!"

Ryuu's voice was back with its full weight, the clamps on his wrists being the only things that kept him in the chair.

He received another slam of his head against the wood that caused a light to erupt inside his eyes. It was only after a few seconds that he realized it was not from his disorientation, but it was in fact a real shining light. It circled a slow, steady pattern around the back of the sitting man to behind Ryuu's field of vision. It repeated its circle again, and again, Ryuu's eyes following its monotonous progress without thinking.

"Did you, or did you not, kill the Earth King?"

The same question, and the same feeling of anger and frustration in Ryuu's mind.

"Did you, or did you not, kill the Earth King?"

The light was so calming, so peaceful. An escape from the hell that was his reality. He wasn't here…no…he was back at home, watching the stars fly across the darkened sky.

"Did you, or did you not, kill the Earth King?"

What words was he hearing? They didn't seem that important now; his reply would be as equally meaningless. The soft crackle of the fire soothed his pain as the light became the only thing in his world. All that mattered was its flowing circle; its calming light.

"Did you, or did you not, kill the Earth King?"

A sigh of the utmost content came from Ryuu's lips, the same sigh he had given earlier that day as he watched the beautiful sight of Ba Sing Se. That's where he was now; watching the sun slowly escape behind the horizon.

"Did you, or did you not, kill the Earth King?"

Ryuu opened his mouth. Why did these words ruin his peace? They were so pointless, he had to make them stop…he had to enjoy the sunset.

"I…I…."

Nothing else mattered now. Not the man, not the pain or the Dai Lee, not the questions…not his answer. All that mattered was the tranquil calm of the light, and the sunset he was anxious to watch.

* * *

**There we are. Chapter 3 will come soon. And remember...review! Thank you.**


	3. The Man with the Orange Eyes

**Author's Note: This is chapter 3 part 1...next will probably be part 2. Ha ha, anyway, please enjoy. **

* * *

**Chapter 3 Part 1**

**The Man with the Orange Eyes**

Ryuu sat up in a sudden start, gasping for air that seemed denied in his sleep. His face no longer stung, but the pain had transferred to his head. The headache was unbearable, the visions of his dream flashing before him with every throb of his temple.

"That voice…it's so…familiar."

He racked his brain to remember the fading dream.

"The purifying light…the endless darkness…stirs within the void. What did it say?"

"Well, well, looks like my cell mate is finally up."

The voice was laid back, amused even. Ryuu took a look around, and he found he was indeed a cell mate. A windowless stone room, almost a quarter in size from his one in the Lower Ring, was now his current residence. All that was contained within it was the single stone slab he had been sleeping on, held off the floor by two mighty chains on either end.

"You slept pretty terrible, friend," said the voice, "but I guess that's expected."

Ryuu rubbed his skull soothingly while looking up towards the noise. He swung his feet over and approached the small bars on his door. All he could see through his limited view was the hallway outside, another heavy metal door directly across from his.

"W-Where am I," stuttered Ryuu.

The voice came from the neighboring cell across the hallway. The person didn't sound too old, maybe only a few years more than Ryuu.

"You're in a cell, friend. And here I got to thinking you might be bright."

Ryuu actually gave a grunt of a chuckle at the comment, gripping the small bars of his cell and watching the floor carefully.

"What made you think that?"

The voice laughed in return.

"Oh, I just thought the Earth King's assassin had to be some sort of mastermind."

Ryuu's eyes snapped back to attention, his jaw agape.

"What?!"

"You don't hear to good, do you friend?"

"I've never killed anyone! And that defiantly includes the Earth King!"

There was a rustle of movement on hard stone. The man whom the voice belonged was apparently lying on his bed.

"Well, then we seem to have a pickle."

Ryuu's anger subsided momentarily, more stunned than anything else. Seemed to have a pickle? Who the heck was this guy?! He couldn't see beyond what the limited view from his cell gave him.

"What are you talking about?"

The voice replied in dreamlike bliss.

"You confessed, friend; louder then a Screaming Bird."

Ryuu gaped at the man's cell door. No way…there couldn't be! He wouldn't confess to something he didn't do; or…at least, not something like that anyway!

"Yeah, that's what I thought too," replied the man.

The comment tore Ryuu from his thoughts.

"Look, I don't know what you heard," he snapped back, "but I didn't kill anyone."

He went on to describe the events he could remember; the fighting with the klutzy soldiers; his capture by the Dai Li and the interrogation with the man shrouded by the bright green flames. He knew there was no point in justifying himself to this complete stranger, a prisoner at that, but he felt that at least one person should hear his side. Or at least he thought someone was; he didn't even know if the man was listening.

When he finished his recollection of the day, there was only silence. The man gave no reply, and Ryuu grew more frustrated every second he didn't.

"Well?!" he exclaimed, gripping the bars of his cell door.

"Well…." the man repeated, "I would have to say…"

Ryuu pushed his face as far it could go against the metal bars, waiting intently on the man's response.

"You're the unluckiest guy I've ever met."

Ryuu exhaled his breath with an incredulous look.

"That's it? That's all you got to say?"

There was the sound of movement from his neighbor's cell.

"Well, what do you want me to say? If your story is to be believed-"

"It's the truth!" yelled Ryuu, but the man continued.

"IF, you're story is to be believed, then you've been set up."

Ryuu tilted his head, something wasn't right.

"You really don't believe me…do you?"

There was the rustle of clothing, then the sound of footsteps against hardened stone. The next moment Ryuu was staring at the tanned face of a handsome young man, only a few years older than he. His features were strict and precise; his black hair concealed one eye, the other revealing them to be of the brightest orange, as if a furnace burned behind them.

Ryuu knew of only one kind of people that bore eyes like the sun.

The man gave him a reassuring smile.

"Well friend, you can't really blame me. From what ya told me, you're just some clueless bystander from the backwaters of Ba Sing Se."

Ryuu felt his teeth grit together. Say what he wanted about him, but this guy was not going to insult the Lower Ring, the only place he called home. The Lower Ring had always been looked down upon by the higher members of society even since the time of Ba Sing Se's creation; it was a place for thieves and beggars. But they were wrong; the Lower Ring was the true spirit of the Earth Kingdom.

But he didn't expect this man to understand.

"Look you cocky Lizard Rat; if you're saying that I'm guilty because I'm from the Lower Ring, then you can just-"

"Not done!" his neighbor interrupted, and Ryuu momentarily fell silent.

"I have no prejudice against the Lower Ring," explained the man, shaking his head at the brown haired boy.

"It's not as if someone can just waltz right into the palace and just knock off the Earth King without being stopped. The security around the place is greater than any in the world, 'cept maybe the Fire Nation. I can't begin to explain the skills needed to successfully pull of something like this. You have no enemies, at least none with the talent or desire to set ya up for something like this. Do you have any idea why someone would **want** to frame you?"

Ryuu opened his mouth, but after a few seconds of thought, closed it again. The man was right; Ryuu had no enemies, well maybe a few guards but none like the man described.

His silence seemed to be answer enough for the man. His face vanished from the bars and Ryuu could hear him make his way back to the stone slab in his cell.

"That's what I thought. Sorry friend, as unlikely as it is that you possess the skill to have killed the Earth King, it's still more likely than you being set up."

Ryuu sighed in defeat, letting his forehead bang against the bars.

"This can't be happening…"

His head throbbed and he rubbed the tender area. It was bruised from where the Dai Li had bashed his head against the chair during his interrogation.

"I can't remember confessing, I can't remember anything after talking with that guy…"

His neighbor's voice piped up from the cell.

"Who was he anyway?"

Ryuu tried to strain his memory for anything that could give away the man's identity. The flames and the pain in his own eyes had shrouded his interrogator's features. The light, the comforting light…the licking flames...the glaring venom.

Ryuu jerked his head up in revelation and banged it painfully against the bars. The pain didn't register as he called out to his cell mate.

"Green eyes, bright green eyes…like venom; I've never seen anything like them."

"Green eyes," repeated the man, and for a moment there was silence, Ryuu hearing only the occasional clatter from the floors above. The next moment Ryuu was staring once more into the flame colored eyes.

"You really are the unluckiest guy I've ever met."

Ryuu grunted annoyance and waited for the man to continue.

"I know of only one man whose eyes sting like Venom," he said, "Saito, head of the Dai Li."

Ryuu would have rather heard any name than the one that was given.

Over a hundred years ago, the Dai Li were the police of Ba Sing Se. They kept order and balance within the walls, and were guard to the Earth King himself. But the once proud soldiers of Kyoshi grew corrupt in their isolation. When the Fire Nation arrived, they betrayed their former leader and surrendered the city to the very enemy they had defended it against.

But retribution came quickly for the traitors. Upon the end of The Great War, the Dai Li were disbanded and their ranks scattered across the Earth Kingdom. For years they were out of sight and faded from memory. That was until the Uprising of the Northern Hills, where Earth Queen Rin-Jing and her soldiers faced off against the traitors of the mountains. The Queen only succeeded thanks to the intervention of the Dai Li, who emerged and drove the traitors back. For their crucial assistance, the Queen reinstated them as her personal guard upon them swearing eternal loyalty to the Earth Kingdom; for a time, the Dai Li were just as they were meant to be.

But the stank of corruption seemed destined for the Dai Li. A few years ago, a strong and power hungry man named Saito became head of the Dai Li. Saito stressed the importance of the Dai Li to the Earth Kingdom, and pushed for sweeping changes in their ranks. The Dai Li were expanded, replacing all but fifteen percent of the Earth Kingdom Army, and were divided into different ranks with the traditional robed Dai Li remaining guard of Ba Sing Se.

Now, nearly the entire military took orders from one man, and he just became the temporary ruler of the Earth Kingdom.

"Saito set me up," gasped Ryuu, "he killed the Earth King…and he arrested me for it."

The man responded with a grin.

"Yep, that's what it seems like. It still doesn't answer the question as to why he chose you, but, I guess that doesn't really matter. You and I won't be in here for very long, friend."

Ryuu gave his head a shake and scrutinized the man through the bars.

"Wha'd you mean?"

The man gave Ryuu another cheerful grin, as if the situation was utterly hilarious to him.

"Haven't you noticed we're missing somethin' important in our cells?"

Confusion filled Ryuu as he turned to check his cramped cell. He didn't get what the man was talking about, until he felt a pressure near his naval.

"There's no buckets…" he said in calm revelation, turning slowly to look back at the man.

"And that means…that means…"

"It means they're not planning on keepin' us here very long."

The realization dawned on Ryuu like a heavy weight pressed against his shoulders.

"You…you can't mean…"

The man gave a warm laugh, and a wave of heat overcame Ryuu.

"That's right friend, welcome to death row!"

* * *

The memories Ryuu had of his parents were…fuzzy, as if a blanket had been pulled over his sight. Often, when he only had himself for company, he thought of them under the setting sun that reflected on Ba Sing Se.

His father was clearer, his mother having died before he could remember. From his father told him, she was very beautiful, and in times of deep content Ryuu could almost smell the soothing scent of flowers that once flowed from her hair.

But it was what his father told him that truly brought wonder to Ryuu's memory.

"Ryuu," he would say, "every night your mother would sing to you, and never would you cry, never would your sleep be filled with nightmares. Because when she sung, the spirits themselves gathered to listen."

His father was the strongest man Ryuu had ever known. Never one did he see his father cry, no matter how much he knew his heart must ache. He stayed firm for Ryuu, and no matter what life threw at them, he always protected him.

And when Ryuu thought of him, his chest would tighten.

It was a different tightness that he now felt within his lungs. He longed for a breath he could not take, and the world around him spun with the man's words.

_"Welcome to death row!"_

Air returned to Ryuu and before he realized it he was hyperventilating with dangerous intensity. This cell…this cell was closing in! The walls were falling down upon him!

He scrambled back until he could go no further and finally let out a yell that tore at his throat.

"I DIDN'T DO IT! I DIDN'T DO IT!" he bellowed, thrashing about his cell and slamming into wall after all, desperate for a way to escape.

He clawed at his own head, and the realization sunk even further into his skull.

"This can't be happening...IT CAN'T!"

He began his yells and his tirades, slamming against the metal that covered everything; the cold, hard surface that leeched from him his very warmth and hope.

"Hey…friend, calm down."

The voice was insignificant now, miniscule compared to the knowledge he now had.

"Hey! Friend, everything's gonna-"

It had to be here to torture him, to lure him to a false sense of hope. Perhaps it was death's final taunt at his life.

"Just hold on a-"

It was over, it was all over! Never again would he see the peaceful glow of the sunsets in Ba Sing Se. Never would he make a fool out of the soldiers that came to his home. Never would he see his friends in the Lower Ring. The Lower Ring, he would never get to say goodbye, to see them one last time, to explain what they meant to him. He would die with them believing him to be a murderer, and never would he be there to tell them otherwise.

"Will you…SHUT UP!"

The voice he had so long ignored now tore him from his final thoughts. Reality momentarily returned, and Ryuu listened as the man spoke.

"You didn't let me finish," he stated.

"You're not going to die, friend."

Ryuu dropped the hands that had been clawing at his own temple and stared dumbstruck at the man's uninterested face.

"B-But you said…"

"All I said was "welcome to death row". I did not, however, say "you're going to die"."

Ryuu's heart began returning to its steady beat.

"You said we wouldn't be here long…you know…there's no buckets."

The satisfied smile of the man's face gave Ryuu an uncomfortable feeling of suspicion.

"That's right friend, because we're getting out of here."


End file.
